Mar 31, 2011

I'm incredibly excited to be participating in the Fool For Books Blog Hop this year, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Bookish Snob. As of now more than 200 hundred blogs have signed up for this awesome, 2-day giveaway event.

Once you're done here, hop on over to the next blog on the stop. The more you enter, the more prizes you may win! Good luck!

The Prize:

A hardback copy of Nevermore by Kelly Creagh. An fans of paranormal romance, gothic literature, and classic romance definitely need to check this one out.

"Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game.

Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind.

Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

DIE FOR ME is the first of three books about Kate, a sixteen-year-old American who moves to Paris after the death of her parents. It introduces a new version of the undead with revenants, beings who are fated to sacrifice themselves over and over again to save others’ lives. Kate finds herself falling for Vincent, who she discovers is not the typical French teenager he appears: he is something else entirely.

DIE FOR ME presents a new supernatural mythology presented in a city where dreams are sometimes the same as reality.

Review:

I’m not sure what I expected when I first delved into this debut by Amy Plum, but whatever it was certainly wasn’t this refreshingly romantic story. It reads like a fairytale; beautiful and magical that makes you wish you could fall into the world of Kate and Vincent. Very rarely has a debut novel so captured my adoration and attention the way Die For Me has.

When Kate arrives in Paris following the deaths of her parents, she’s in a numbing freefall. It was painful to see the way she had so completely tucked into herself and was starting to shut down … until Vincent. I think the romance of Kate and Vincent will go down as one of my favorite novel romances of all time if for no other reason than their love wasn’t easy.

When Kate discovers Vincent is a revenant and what that entails, she actually walks away. It seems like authors are so quick to get to the romance nowadays that they forget the reality. The reality is most teenage girls wouldn’t jump at the chance for a supernatural boyfriend. Most would be freaked as hell and would need a few weeks (as Kate does) to fully accept the implications of what that means. I love that while Kate was sweet and innocent she was also insecure and scared enough to admit that maybe she was in over her head. I love Amy Plum for letting the readers see that weakness.

I’ve read dozens of paranormal romances and mostly the reaction to finding out one’s significant other is not-so-human is either the immediate “that’s OK, I love you anyway even though we’ve only known each other for a few days” or an initial hesitation only to be replaced by wondrous ardor the next chapter. Plum doesn’t take the “easy” way out and her characters are all the richer for it.

No matter how epic the love, nor no matter how earth-shatteringly awesome the hero/heroine is, no story is complete without a dynamic cast of characters. Allow me to assure you that this book has that covered in spades. From Kate’s whimsical sister Georgia to Vincent’s enchanting kindred (I could seriously devour an entire series for each of these characters, and I may stage a riot if I don’t see some Ambrose/Charlotte in the next book), there is never a dull moment to be found.

Plum’s time spent in France clearly shows as the novel is rife with lush description that literally puts you in the scene with the characters as they walk the Parisian streets. I could almost smell the buttery crescent rolls baking and the warm aroma of cappuccinos as I turned the page. Her in-depth knowledge adds an extra layer that is as fantastical as the lights of Paris.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve fallen head-over-heels for this novel to the point where I’ve already pre-ordered it. I recommend anyone reading this review go and do the same. I promise you won’t regret it. I certainly don’t.

Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

Review:

The premise of Stay is interesting enough, and sadly enough, very relevant to teens today. Clara falls fast and hard for Christian. After a few months of dating, Christian’s intense jealously and controlling ways push Clara to her breaking point. After a messy breakup Clara’s father takes her and they head to a small beachside town for the summer.

Deb Caletti does a wonderful job of making your heart break for Clara. Unfortunately Clara’s situation is all too realistic, and I’m certain most reader will either identify with Clara or know someone who acted just as impulsively as she did. Clara is a rich character, complex and fighting to make sense of where things went wrong and what role, if any she played, in Christian’s downward spiral. Watching her try to make sense of their relationship was heartbreaking; I just wanted to hug her.

The biggest problem I had with this book was the format. Every other chapter switched back to past tense while the others were present tense. It was too jarring for me. I would have much preferred to read about Clara and Christian’s relationship, and then gone through the breakup with Clara leaving the city for the beach, finishing up with her quest for self-discovery. I’ve read several books where the author constantly switched back and forth in time and it didn’t bother me, but this one really did. Maybe it was because the present tense chapters would really get rolling and then they would end abruptly as you were forced to travel months back in time and then be lurched forward to the present again. After an entire novel of this, it got tiresome.

I also didn’t like all the footnotes. The novel is told entirely from Clara’s point of view, but there were footnotes to add detail. I didn’t understand why the detail couldn’t have just been put into the paragraph. I would be reading at the top of the page and have to skip to the bottom to read an explanation of something and then go back up and find the sentence I was reading. This book seemed part essay and part novel.

While, again, most of my issues were just the way the book was compiled, it is a beautiful story about how desperate young love can be to the point of blindness. I think this is also a very important novel for teens to read because it shows that abuse in a relationship isn’t strictly physical. I loved the premise and the characters Caletti brought to life, I just wish she would have done it in a more flowing way.

Hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, I thought this would be a great way to share the reads I got this week by purchasing, trading/swapping, or for review. All links lead to Goodreads. This is two weeks' worth of books since I didn't post last week.

"If you could physically put yourself into a book or series…which one would it be and why?"

The Witch Wars series by Andrea Cremer. After reading Nightshade and becoming totally addicted to her fantastical world of werewolves and witchcraft, and of romance and adventure, there is no series I would rather be in. Besdies, with Calla off with Shay, I could make a play for Ren.

Give us five BOOK RELATED silly facts about you.

1. I have a book buying addiction. I honestly have over 100 books sitting on shelves or piles in my room that I haven't read, but I'm already wondering what to buy next.

2. I'm a book hoarder. Very rarely do I get rid of a book, hence why I currently own around 500 books. Hey, I still have my Little Golden books from childhood. Yeah, it's that bad.

3. I slept with a nightlight until I was 13 because I could angle the light at my bed and read until 1 am on school nights.

4. I'm absolutely fanatical about the conditions in which I keep my books. If they aren't in pristine condition I have no problem shelling out more money for a replacement.

5. I make soundtracks for books I really like. I have playlists on my iPod dedicated to my favorite series/novels.

Mar 20, 2011

"Do you read only one book at a time, or do you have several going at once?"

Eesh, such a loaded question. While I would love to say I devote all my attention to one book, this simply isn't true. I'm a book slut. There. I admit it! *sigh* I'm currently involved with 3 (yes, 3 - please don't judge me) different books: Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter; The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver; and Bumped by Megan McCafferty.

Just don't tell them about each other, K?

Q. How did you come up with your blog name?

It was actually my brother's girlfriend who finally made the pieces click. I knew I wanted something with "Irish" in it because I'm Irish (shocker, I know). But all my friends and family nicknamed me "Banana" as a kid, and she walked into my room when I was trying to decide what name to use and said, "Hey, Banana!" ... and the rest is, as they say, history.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

Review:

Every now and then a book comes along that is an absolute joy to read. You get a wide, goody smile in the middle of a crowded waiting room while reading it and people around you start shooting you “What’s that girl on?” looks, and you simply don’t care. The Goddess Test is that book.

As if Aimee Carter combining my love of romance and mythology wasn’t enough, she wrote a stunning debut novel that I tore through in a day.Her words flow effortlessly off the page, mesmerizing the reader. Her characters are well developed and weave together to construct this tapestry that when you stand back at the ending, you can see how each individual character moved the story along. I will say the plot is nothing that an educated reader can’t guess, but that didn’t make it any less delicious. This is a book that I will buy and read again and again because it’s just one of those books I will never tire of.

While this book will have at least one sequel which is slated to be released in January 2012 (Goddess Interrupted, Harlequin Teen), there is no “cliff hanger” ending that left me frustrated with wonder. I went into reading this not knowing whether or not it was part of a series, because I find I almost expect that abrupt end that makes me huff an annoyed sigh because I have another year to wait before my questions are resolved. When I got to the end of The Goddess Test I was absolutely giddy at the idea of a sequel. This novel can easily stand on its own as whole, but with a sequel it seems like I get to have my cake and eat it too. And a girl can never have too much cake.

**Don't forget to enter my first giveaway: an ARC of Wither by Lauren DeStefano! Enter HERE!**

Mar 16, 2011

It's time for the first-ever giveaway on The Irish Banana. And our first prize is ...

An ARC of Lauren DeStefano's smashing, provocative debut novel Wither, the first in the Chemical Garden Trilogy. You can read my review of Wither: The Irish Banana Review.

The Rules:

1. Must be a follower of The Irish Banana
2. Open only to US residents this time around.
3. One extra entry for following me on Twitter (Irish_Banana).
4. One extra point for tweeting about this contest or posting it on your blog (must provide a valid link).

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong which will be released April 12, 2011 courtesy of HarperCollins. If that stunning cover doesn't entice you enough, here's a quick description of it via Goodreads:

Strange things are happening in Maya's tiny Vancouver Island town. First, her friend Serena, the captain of the swim team, drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. Then, one year later, mountain lions are spotted rather frequently around Maya's home—and her reactions to them are somewhat . . . unexpected. Her best friend, Daniel, has also been experiencing unexplainable premonitions about certain people and situations. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret, and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy—her paw-print birthmark.

Mar 15, 2011

Teaser Tuesday is a book meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The rules of the game are simple:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share 2 teaser sentences from that page, but careful not to include any spoilers! We don't want to ruin it for people who haven't read yet!
4. Make sure you list the title and author so others can add it to their "to-be-read" lists!

This week's Teaser Tuesday come from "Stay" by Deb Caletti:

"In his room he kept piles of papers - old tests, schoolwork, cards, photos - and stack of old clothes folded in his closet. Obviously, he couldn't part with things easily. Maybe this should have been a warning sign."pg. 72

Synopsis from Goodreads:Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is—and what he’s willing to do to make her stay. Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review:

It took me a while to write this review because I honestly wasn’t sure how I felt about the book. Was it enjoyable? Yes. Were the characters well written? Most definitely. But I couldn’t help but compare it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a long while. While there are no vampires in this book (a nice break to read a paranormal romance not about vampires), it still had a lot of Buffy-esque qualities in my opinion.

The novel starts with Ellie, an upper-class teen who is one of the popular girls, who has a good life (insane father-figure aside), and is suddenly told she has super powers that help her hunt things that go bump in the night. I think because I grew up with my own demon hunting badass I was drawing unfair comparisons and not letting this novel take flight on its own. Shame on me.

Moulton has crafted this intense world (well, worlds, really) where a single girl is one person who can essentially save mankind. Ellie, our heroine, is a ballsy as she is sarcastic which the perfect blend of the current American teen and the American teen dream. She is this strong, brave, and intense character that pushes the story along. You can’t help but fall for Ellie and root for her with every turn of the page.

But no novel is complete without a terrific, well-rounded cast. Will is every girl’s fantasy (dark, brooding, protective, sweet, and loving). He’s the total embodiment of the “dream” guy but he never comes off as insincere or overly perfect. His charms are balanced with his flaws. Nathaniel, Lauren and Ellie’s best friend Kate easily weave in and out of the story, and I hope they’re in the following books.

I feel like I owe Moulton an apology for judging this book too quickly. By drawing my own comparisons early in, I almost missed out on a great book. And this truly is a great book, and one that I will most assuredly be recommending to friends and family alike.

Mar 9, 2011

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.

Review:

Mark my words, in a few years (might take a decade) this will be a book added to public school curriculums nationwide. Lauren Myracle has woven a tale tragically stunning and achingly beautiful; it smashed my heart to pieces and then stitched it back together all in the span of 376 pages. It’s been years since I read a book that brought me to tears one page and the next had me clenching the pages to keep from hurling it against a wall in fury. I love these characters as if they were my own friends; I cried with Cat and I raged with her.

Set in a lush Southern backdrop, I was immediately transported to the Southern days of my youth. She captured every scene with sharp alacrity: the lazy drawls of speech, the tight-knit community that seemed to know everything and anything about every single citizen, the small-mindedness that would make or break you, and the eternal bonds of friendship. This book hurtles towards the end at breakneck speed, but Myracle is in control at all times.

Myracle doesn’t just address issues of prejudice, hate, abuse, and loss. She drags these issues out of the shadows and shines a spotlight on them, stripping them bare without flinching. She writes in such a fearless way that you can’t help but admire her. I’ve read books that amused me, thrilled me, entertained me, and annoyed me. This book goes in that extremely rare category of books that have changed me.

Mar 8, 2011

Teaser Tuesday is a book meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. The rules of the game are simple:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share 2 teaser sentences from that page, but careful not to include any spoilers! We don't want to ruin it for people who haven't read yet!
4. Make sure you list the title and author so others can add it to their "to-be-read" lists!

This week's Teaser Tuesday come from "Shine" by Lauren Myracle:

"Uh huh, I thought. It's all fun and games till someone gets a gas pump nozzle jammed down their throat." pg. 131

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author.